Capsule-trimming machine



(No Model.)

J. L. 8v J. E. WARREN CAPSULE TRIMMING MACHINE.

No. 413,989. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. \VARREN AND JOHN ERNEST \VARREN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAPSULE-TRIMMING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,989, dated October29, 1889.

Application filed June 21, 1889. Serial No. 315,094, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that we, JOHN L. \VARREN and.

tine-capsule-t-rimining machines in which the dried capsule is trimmedby a knife while the capsule is held on a spindle or mold; and itconsists in the means for trimming the capsule, and in the means forrevolving the spindle and capsule while the capsule is being trimmed orcut, and in the means for operating the machine, and in the peculiarcombinations and arrangement of the various parts, as hereinafter moreparticularly set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our device from the front. Fig. 2 is atop view of our invention. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section through the central girt. Fig. 5 is a top view ofknife-bearing plate and knives.

In the drawings, A represents the table upon which the frame of thecapsule-cutting machine rests.

I3 is the main frame of the machine.

7 I3 is a flange at the bottom of the frame, projecting backward, bywhich the frame is attached to the table by properbolts and nuts.

B B are the posts or uprights of the frame.

0, C, and C are the lower, center, and upper girts of the frame. Twostuds 0 c are cast on the front side of the lower girt, and two studs 0c are also cast on the front side of the upper girt 0 These four studsare all of the same height and form the rear guides of the reciprocatingknife-bearing plate. Two studs (Z (Z are cast 011 the front side of thelower girt O, which are perforated for the reception of the screw d.

D is a spring-bar extending across the frame in front of the lower girtC and attached to the studs (Z (Z by the screws d. Two studs 6 e arecast on the uprights of the frame in line with the central girt O andare perforated for the reception of the screws 6 e.

E is a spring-bar extending across the frame in front of the centralgirt and attached to the studs 6 e by the screws e e.

The spring-bars D and E are the front guides of the reciprocating knifebearing plate, and by their elasticity always hold the plate againstthe'studs c 0 c 0 The lower girt is slotted at ff for the passage of thebolts f f, which are screw-threaded to engage with the screws in thegibs F F. The central girt is also slotted at g g for the passage of thebolts g g, which are screwthreaded to engage with the screws in the gibsG G. The inner ends of the gibs F F and G G form the side guides of thereciproeating knife-bearing plate II.

In order that the spring-bars D and E may have free play to hold downthe reciprocating knife-bearing plate, the gibs F and G are made thinnerthan the height of the studs d e and are lower than the surface of theknifebearing plate. Any other convenient means for guiding theknife-bearing plate may be used without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

His a reciprocating plate, carrying on its outer edges, at or near thetop, the knives I I.

K is an iron bar or keeper which is held in place by the screw-bolt 70.

L is a leather friction driver interposed between the knife-blade I andthe keeper K. This leather driver projects beyond the bar K, but doesnot extend to the edge of the knife-blade.

h h are stops on the back of the reciprocating plate and come in contactwith the girts C and C to limit the action of the plate.

M M are the sills of an auxiliary frame at the top and projectingbackwardly from the standards of the frame B. These sills are united bythe girts N N, which are perforated at 'n u n n to form journal-bearingsfor the spindles O O. The spindles are locked from longitudinal movementby the adjustable collars 0 o o o, secured in position by set-screws,and impinge against the inner sides of the girts NN. The outer ends ofthe spindles, which project beyond the front face of the frame B and theknife I, are of the same size and shape as the mold upon which thecapsule is formed, or a shade smaller. The extent of the projection ofthe spindle beyond the knife determines the the side of the machine nextto the capsulethe edge of the knife-blade on the reciprocating plate anddeep enough to allow the knifeblade to move-in it without coming incontact with the bottom of the groove. This groove should be so narrowthat the sides of the knife-blade should come in contact with the edgesof the groove in order to make two cutting-edges.

R is a rod projecting from the rear of the reciprocating plate.

S S are two belts or straps, which are attached to the rod R in anyconvenient manner and pass up and over the spindles 0 between the girtsN N. The weights T T are attached to the free ends of these straps. Thefriction of these belts on the spindles causes the spindles to revolveas these belts run up and down. Any other convenient means for revolvingthe spindles may be used as a rack and pinion without departing from ourinvention.

U is a pitmanattached at its upper end to the foot of the reciprocatingknife-bearing plate and at its lower end to the lever'or foottreadle Wat a proper distancefrom the pivot of the lever. Foot-rests w w areformed at each end of the lever W.

X is a standard attached to and arising from the floor in a line withthe front of the machine and at one side of the center of theknife-bearing plate. This standard is bifurcated at the topfor thereception of the lever W, which is pivoted to the standards at w.

As it is necessary in the use of capsules in administering medicine thatthe capsule should be closed,-it is the practice to close it withanother capsule, forming a cap over the open end. Therefore, before thecapsules are put on the market each must be furnished with its cap andthe cap put on the capsule.

In the manufacture of capsules a mold of the shape and size of thecapsuleis dipped in dissolved gelatine, and the adhering gelatine isdried on the mold. For convenience of handling, a number of molds areattached to a plate, and all dipped and dried at once. The capsules thusformed are not in a proper condition to use. The open end is rough andirregular in thickness, and they are of unequal lengths. To reduce themto the same length and size is the purpose of our machine. The capsulesWhen dried are removed from the molds and are ready to be trimmed.

In our machine one spindle is graduated to trim the body of the capsuleof a certain size and length, and the other to cut the cap for the saidbody.

In operating our machine a tray containing the capsules to be trimmed isplaced on body spindle, and another tray with the capsules which are toform the caps on the other side. The operator, takinga capsule in eachhand, places each on its proper spindle. A

downward pressure of one foot forces the knife-bearing plate upward. Asthe plate moves upward, the ,bolts or straps over thespindles are drawndown by the weights on their free ends, causing the spindles to revolve.The leather driver comes in contact with the capsule and the friction onthe capsule causes that to revolve with the spindle. The revolution ofthe spindleand the capsule constantly presents a new surface to theknife to be out until the revolution of thecapsule and the stroke of theknife are completed and the extra length entirely out off. A downwardpressure of the other foot on the treadle causes the knife-bearing plateto recede, leaving the ends of the spindles free. The operator with onehand removes the body of the capsule, and with the other the cap, placesthe cap on the open end of the body of the capsule, and the finishedcapsule is ready for the market and for use.

What we claim'as our invention is- 1. Ina capsule-trimming machine, thecombination of the reciprocating knife-bearing plate H with the ways inwhich the knifebearing plate reciprocates, the pitman U, thefoot-treadle W, the knives I, and the revolving spindles 0, allsubstantially as described.

2. In a capsule-trimming niaehine, the cornbination of the knife-bearingplate H with the ways in which the knife-bearing plate reciprocates, themeans for reciprocating the knife-bearing plate, the knives, thefriction driver for revolving the capsule, the revolving spindle, andthe belt and weight for retoo volving the spindle, all substantially asdescribed.

3. In a capsule-trimming machine, the combination of the knife-bearingplate with the means for reciprocating the knife-bearing plate, theknives, the friction driver for revolving the capsules, therevolvingspindles, and the means for revolving the spindles, substantially asdescribed.

4.. In a capsule-trimming machine, the com-- reciprocating plate forpreserving the alignment of the knives with the grooves in the spindles,the grooved revolving spindles, the means for revolving the spindles,and the knives, substantiallyas described.

JOHN L. WARREN. .J. ERNEST WARREN. Witnesses:

A. V. RICHMOND, GEO. W. HOUSEM.

